Revista de Patología Vegetal y Microbiología

Abstracto

Assessment of Seed Quality and Seed-Borne Pathogens of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in Major Growing Areas of Ethiopia

Meseret Ejeta*, Mekonen Haile, Elsabet Bayisa

The study was conducted to assess seed quality and seed borne pathogen of barely seed collected from formal and informal seed sources in major growing areas of Ethiopia. By using multistage purposive sampling techniques 156 samples were collected from four major barely growing regions of Ethiopia and quality of seed samples was analyzed using standard testing procedures at Holetta seed research laboratory. Analysis result showed that highly significant (P<0.001) difference in physical purity, moisture content, thousand seed weight, germination percentage, seedling length, seedling dry weight, vigor index for barely seed obtained from different districts. Similarly, high significant difference (P<0.001) in physical purity, moisture content, thousand seed weight, germination percentage, seedling length, vigor index one for barely seed collected from different seed sources. Thirteen different types of seed borne fungal diseases were observed on barely seed collected from both sources and districts. Generally, most of barely seed collected from farmers/informal seed sources were low in seed quality and did not satisfy the minimum quality standards whereas, barely seed obtained from different seed sources (formal) met Ethiopian minimum seed quality standards. Most of the farmer did not use improve varieties so that, awareness creation or training on the impact of using improved seeds with other necessary inputs to increase seed quality, seed production, management and distribution in the country will be expected from regional, zonal and districts of agricultural experts in collaboration with agricultural research and seed quality control units.